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Mar 24, 2024

Oakywood Custom Standing Desk Review

Oakywood's new 3D Configurator allows users to completely customize their perfect desk, desk shelf, and desk mat for their space, making an excellent desk the perfect fit. Customizable size 3D

Oakywood's new 3D Configurator allows users to completely customize their perfect desk, desk shelf, and desk mat for their space, making an excellent desk the perfect fit.

Customizable size

3D Configurator is a game changer

Great lifting capacity

Phenomenal accessories

Great build quality

The control panel is a bit basic

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Oakywood has been in the game for best standing desk and desk accessories for some time now. They have iconic accessories such as Magsafe chargers, desk shelves, laptop stands, etc. With a website redesign and branding update, Oakywood has released its 3D Configurator for its four flagship products; the Standing Desk, the Classic Desk, the Desk Shelf, and the Felt & Cork Desk Mat. An excellent desk with all the elements that make it great is now completely customizable in size and (some) features to curate exactly what you need in your workspace.

When I discovered this was an option, I knew I had to work on designing my very own Oakywood custom desk to be my studio imaging and testing space. I have a weird narrow wall between an opening to a larger room and a door I want to use for this purpose, but I have just found a desk to fit it perfectly... now.

Utilizing the 3D Configurator to create my perfect standing desk. I jumped onto Oakywood's site and found the Configurator in seconds. From here, I could choose which of the four (previously mentioned) customizable options I wanted to design. I naturally started with the heart of this setup, the Standing Desk.

At this point, I had the option of five colorways; black, oak, oak veneer, walnut, and walnut veneer. I chose oak to contrast the usually dark technology I review and plan to photograph on this desk. Next, I decided on the shape of the desk. There is a choice between round steep, round straight, sharp steep, and sharp straight. I liked the clean look of the sharp steep, so I chose that one. This is where I would have chosen differently, as I didn't think about clamps not being able to grab them as well. Some larger C-clamps, like the ones on monitors, can still catch, but smaller lighting C-clamps, for example, cannot hold the edge. If I ever get a second chance at making this choice, I'd choose round straight or sharp straight for this reason.

Next up, I chose between white or black legs. I chose black to help them disappear for my use case, though the white look sharp with the light oak wood. If I weren't using this desk in the way I am and were going to use this desk as a primary workstation, I would have probably chosen an oak top with white legs or a walnut top with black legs.

Now for the game changer, Oakywood's 3D Configurator allowed me to choose the exact centimeter I wanted for the length and width of the desktop. I needed an odd size for my space, coming in at 156 x 72cm.

Finally, I had the choice of casters or no casters. I, of course, chose casters. It's worth paying an extra $50 for a desk that can be easily moved around, especially since I'll use it frequently and need the flexibility. It's a must-have feature for me and my workflow.

I went on to customize a Desk Shelf to match, with an oak top and black leg finish, and a Desk Mat in Anthracite to fit my desk width the way I wanted.

Unboxing was about as expected; I knew exactly what would be in the box. The instructions could have been more straightforward, but I figured it out without problems. Once assembled, I was thrilled and somehow shocked that my measurements were accurate and the desk fit perfectly where I wanted it. I added my cable management tray of choice, the Underdesk Organizer from Oakywood, and set up the desk as I wanted, a perfect staging area for product shots and testing.

*as designed

Dimensions: 156 x 72cmHeight Range: 62.5 - 130 cmLifting Capacity: 260lb

The build quality of this desk is impressive. The desktop is a solid piece of wood, not cardboard or manufactured wood. Solid, natural, wood. Further, Oakywood coats the desktop with wax oil to enhance the smooth feel without clogging any pores or damaging the desk. The legs are sturdy and durable, and all around this desk feels like fine leather or fine wine and will only get better with age.

Using this desk has been outstanding. My one qualm with the desk, because I have had experience testing and using the best of the best desks of all price ranges, is that the control pad is a bit basic. It feels like the least quality part of the desk, especially since I have customized every aspect of this desk outside of the control pad. However, it is still quite helpful. I can set four height presets and even see a readout of the height so I can quickly and accurately jump from one height to another.

As a secondary yet heavily used desk, I am thrilled with the performance of the Oakywood Standing Desk. It has held up well with even heavy products on top, it looks excellent in photos thanks to the natural oak, and I have no issues with the desk while in use.

If you are looking for a standing desk in general, and especially if you want to make sure it is the right size, wood, and colors you want, you need to check out Oakywood right away. Their 3D Configurator is an absolute game changer in the high-end standing desk world, and it makes a premium desk, a custom premium desk, which makes the desk much more helpful. I see myself holding onto this desk for quite some time, especially since it is perfectly designed for this area of my basement office in my home.

Collin is the B2B Hardware Editor for TechRadar Pro. He has been in journalism for years, with experience in small and large markets, including Gearadical, DailyBeast, FutureNet, and more.

Collin is an experienced individual who has an abundance of knowledge when it comes to all things professional hardware. He is the go-to subject matter expert for TechRadar Pro and focuses on standing desks, office chairs, business laptops, "pro" monitors, and other similar topics. With his in-depth understanding of these areas, Collin can provide invaluable insights and advice to readers looking to make informed decisions about their hardware investments.

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